


The Sun's Reflected by The Coffee In Your Hands

by madamnovelist



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Florence au, I always write nerds, Lesbian Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith, Lesbian Zelda Spellman, Lilith is Writing a Guide, Shameless Smut, Top Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith, We Know Zelda is a Praise Kink, Zelda owns a Bookstore, fastburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:27:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28529931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madamnovelist/pseuds/madamnovelist
Summary: The morning their lives crossed, Zelda drove her red Vespa to her bookshop like she always did, and Lilith had just landed in Florence, confused about the weather, the streets, and the people.
Relationships: Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith
Comments: 203
Kudos: 180





	1. December 27th, Florence

**Author's Note:**

> Everytime I post something new I sweat like Michelle when she stole Miranda's framed picture.  
> This is a short AU set in Florence, Italy. It all started with a post on Facebook about a bookshop in Paris and croissants but I mean, Florence is better.  
> Let me know what you think *sweating profusely*

**_The Sun’s Reflected by The Coffee in Your Hands_ **

****

****

****

**December 27** **th**

**Florence, Tuscany, Italy**

Lilith Morningstar hopped down the taxi and got off her trolley and her backpack. She looked around and she immediately noticed two things: the first was that it was  _ obscenely _ hot, to be December. The second was that Florence was different from anything she’d ever seen before. Unspeakable. 

She didn’t know a thing about Florence, and this had been a bad, _bad_ idea. The worst of her bad ideas, and Lilith Morningstar was a pro at bad ideas. Sleeping with her married professor while writing her thesis had been bad (she had stopped liking man after that, in fact) but going to research freaking Florence about freaking Dante Alighieri to have someone, back at the publishing house where she currently worked, publishing _a guide_ was even worse. Of course, when she had talked about it with her boss it had looked like a good idea. Doing some research, testing the waters, maybe even considering being the one to run the new Italian branch they were about to open. As much as it looked like it was a bad idea, back in New York, as much it appeared the biggest mistake _ever_ , while she dragged herself across the streets and she realized that: first, she didn’t know _a thing_ in Italian except _ciao_ , _grazie_ and _sei bellissima_ , which meant, in order: hi, thank you, you’re beautiful. Yes, useful. And, of course, she had paid in euros twice, since she’d landed in Florence, and she was already losing her shit. 

_ Ok, Lily. Breath. Everything is fine. _

She looked around and she felt like she was back in the freaking Middle Age. She wasn’t much of a history nerd, but this was completely different from everything she’d ever seen. She looked at the plate on the wall, at the corner between a street and the square.  _ Piazza Santa Maria Novella _ . It was a little square made of white marble, white stones, with a church. She knew architecture and she immediately recognized the period. Probably something in between Gothic and Renaissance. And the apartment she’d rented was supposed to be in the building next to the church. Easy. 

No elevator - classic. How the heck did those people live? No elevators? In a five floors building? She started her journey, dragging her trolley, behind herself, sweating copiously in her definitely too warm coat. But, when she got to the apartment, she had the first good surprise: it was the nicest thing. A warm, sunny living room with an adjacent bedroom and a cute little bathroom. She dropped everything in the middle of the room, stripped naked and took a long, lazy shower, washing away sweat, worries, hesitation. Then, she got out, and dried herself and she got ready to start again. She put on a pair of fitting black jeans, a black sweater, and redid her make-up. With her leather jacket, a wood shawl and a pair of boots, she decided she was properly dressed. She went to explore what looked like the cutest part of the apartment: the balcony overlooking the square. She rested her forearms on the banister and breathed deeply, allowing herself a moment of quiet. 

She felt something she had never felt before. She had been to Rome, once, and even to New Delhi. But Florence was something else, and as she let her gaze travel from the square to the roofs, and then to the Arno River, she felt a sense of eternity was all over her. How stupid, she giggled. A sense of eternity. 

Okay - back to business. Florence, Dante. She could do it. She checked that she had everything she needed: her wallet, her Moleskine. Okay. She grabbed her phone and googled the closest international bookstore. It was in Borgo Santo Spirito. She checked the maps: it looked pretty simple. She needed to cross the square, go down to Via della Porcellana (she scrunched her nose: Italian was the weirdest thing ever) and, apparently, cross over to the other side of the River. Not even ten minutes walking. Okay, she needed a guide and of course, someone who spoke English, or she would lose her mind before someone could have the time to say  _ Divine Comedy. _

**

Zelda Spellman checked the clock on the wall: nine thirty. Right on time. She sipped slowly what was left of her morning coffee and went to the sink to wash the cup and put it away. She passed by the mirror in the hall and checked her make-up and her braided red curls. That would do. She grabbed her tote bag and her keys and ran down the stairs. 

Via Palazzuolo was a long, narrow street made of buildings looking at each other, with a great number of scooters parked in a row. The street mumbled with voices and laughters of people opening up their stores, and as she got to her own red Vespa, she flashed a smile to the boy owning the coffee shop in front of her building. He was smoking a cigarette, like every morning, and like every morning, he smiled and whistled at her. 

“Hey, bella bambina!”

Zelda just giggled and nodded in his direction. She smiled to herself: everyone, in Florence, called a women  _ pretty little girls. _

She shoved her tote under the saddle of Vespa, then got on it, put on her helmet and she headed West, to the River, directed to her bookstore. 

**

So, that was it. 

Damn Florence with her narrow streets and miscroscopic sidewalks. She had risked being killed by, in order: a bus, a taxi, a black Tesla, a damn kid ona damn Vespa. But thank God, here she was.

Lilith was expecting some fancy sign saying  _ International Bookshop  _ but it was just a plain and simple  _ Libreria _ , with a window full of books.

In a great contrast to the other side of the city, the one on the other side of the River, this one was quiet and sleepy, tall, thick trees spread their shadows on the low buildings. 

She didn’t see much, peeking inside, so she just gained her courage and pushed the door, startled by the little bell ringing. She guessed she really needed a good night’s sleep, she really had nerves in her skin. 

She got inside: the shop was busy but not too crowded, definitely larger than what looked like from outside. Next to the door, a wooden counter covered in little things like mugs and bookworms, with an opened laptop and a register. At the other side of the room, a bar counter, and of course, everywhere was full of books. Not only the walls were covered by cream-colored bookshelves, but some vintage green ones served as dividers. The effect was really good. 

She looked around, trying to spot someone, but she just saw customers chatting in Italian. She groaned and turned around. Accidentally, her backpack hit a little pile of books at the end of the counter, and some of them fell to the floor.

“Oh, crap,” she muttered, and she bent to pick them up when a throaty voice groaned: “Faccia attenzione a quelli, per favore.”

Lilith stood abruptly and turned to the source of the voice, babbling: “What?”

_ Holy Hell _ . 

The owner of the voice was an annoyed-looking woman to the other side of the counter, looking at her over her glasses as she was a bug under a microscope. She had white skin, red hair, was wearing a red blouse and a thick pair of black glasses. 

“Oh, of course,” the redhead nodded. “You don’t speak Italian.”

“I clearly don’t,” Lilith shrugged, placing the books gently on the counter and desperately trying to gain back her composure.

Lilith pretended to look around the shop, but in fact she was still watching the redhead with one eye. She put books in paper bags, smiled and laughed at jokes, and wished everyone a happy New Year. Then, the store went quiet, except for a few people and the two of them. 

**** Lilith walked to the counter, rested her forearms on it and pushed her weight slightly forward. The redhead raised her head and looked at her questioningly.

“Yes?”

“I’m Lilith Morningstar,” Lilith said, looking intently at the redhead’s face, noticing her incredibly white, pure skin, her shining green eyes. Her chin had a slight cleft in it, her left temple a delicate mole, and the little imperfections made the whole picture incredibly nice. She couldn’t help flirting. She was a flirt, she flirted with  _ everyone _ . 

“Pompous,” the redhead commented, looking at her with a fierce gaze. A fiery little thing, indeed. “Nice to know,” the woman added, clearly trying to make a stop to the conversation. 

Lilith smirked. “And you are…”

The other woman shot her an annoyed glance: “For Heaven’s sake, what’s this, kindergarten? I’m Zelda Spellman and I have customers.”

Lilith bit her lip and looked around the shop. She just saw a couple of teenagers browsing some comics. The woman -  _ Zelda _ \- was clearly a native English speaking. Her voice was accent free, so different from her own American one. And, of course,with a name like that...

“And you say  _ my _ name is pompous?” she went on, determined to keep the little game going. “Zelda? Really?”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “I’ll live if you don’t like my name.”

“What’s not to like?” Lilith asked, biting the inside of her cheek, letting her eyes travel down Zelda’s body. “Besides, it was the name of Fitzgerald’s wife, wasn’t it?”

“I guess,” Zelda smirked, and Lilith noticed how nice her smirk was. It would be great to see her smile. A  _ real _ smile. 

The teenagers approached the counter bringing a couple of comics each, and Lilith stepped back to let the woman do her job, seizing the opportunity to take another look around. It would have be nice to buy some travel guides of the area. She looked over at the tote bags. They looked nice – some had prints of Florence’s landmarks, some pieces of art. She had never understood the meaning of those bags. She got how they were comfy, but they looked like shopping bags. Lilith scrunched her nose in disgust and considering that the redhead and she were alone in the shop, she gave voice to her thoughts: “I’ve never understood how people can love tote bags this much. I mean, they just kill every style, don’t you think?”

Zelda looked like she’d forgotten she was there, but at the comment made a non-committing sound and reached out under the wooden counter, bringing out a The New Yorker worn-out tote. It was impossibly full, a planner and a book peeking out of it, some pins to the front. 

_ Crap.  _

“I can send you a new one when I go back home,” Lilith shrugged, absolutely not knowing what to do. “This looks like it has ran its course.”

Zelda looked at her, her glasses sliding down her fierce nose - a gaze so impetuous and stern Lilith felt her legs weaken. And no one, never, had weakened Lilith Morningstar’s legs.

“I like this one, thank you,” she said. “Even if it kills my style, of course.”

_ Good job, Lily. _

There was just one way to see her way out of the awkward situation: Lilith laughed loudly. “Well, killing a style like that it’s hard, even for a worn-out tote,” she added. 

Zelda made a face: “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

“We’ll see about that,” she grinned.

“Can I help you with something?” Zelda asked, hiding a sigh behind a fake smile. “Are you looking for a specific book? Or maybe a tote bag?”

Lilith laughed again. Pretty and funny. 

“I want a guide,” Lilith nodded. “Can you help me choose?”

“Of course,” Zelda moved from behind the counter, and Lilith looked appreciatively at the whole figure: she was average height,  _ very _ well-shaped, wearing a pair of jeans and a red blouse with a leopard-print cardigan over it. She guided her to the other side of the shop, where guides of various places were displayed. She picked one and handed it to Lilith: “This is the best, in my opinion,” she nodded. 

“Okay,” Lilith nodded. “It’s in English, right?”

“Do I look like an idiot, to you?” Zelda asked, and it actually took Lilith a second to figure out she was joking. 

She laughed. Pretty. Funny. Intriguing. 

She hadn’t exactly landed in Florence with that purpose in mind, but who was she to pass by the opportunity to shag such a pretty girl? She looked like she could be around her own age, maybe something less, between thirty and thirty-five for sure. Zelda was walking back to the counter and Lilith walked close enough to smell her scent. 

_ Florence is definitely winning me over. _

“Just don’t trust the food section too much,” Zelda went on, hopping on the stool behind the counter. “But if you need some food tips I can help you. Are you new in town?”

“Yes,” Lilith smiled. “I’m staying in Piazza Santa Maria Novella,” she pronounced, grimacing at how her voice sounded in Italian.

“Such a nice area,” Zelda nodded, and jotted down something on a post-it. “There’s this great little restaurant in Piazza Santa Croce, and of course you need to check the Mercato di San Lorenzo for the best panini in town. Do you like meat?”

“Of course I do,” Lilith smirked, shamelessly flirting. She would have sworn Zelda was blushing a little. “But what’s this… Mercato?”

“Just a marketplace,” Zelda explained, putting the post-it inside Lilith’s guide and handing it to her. “Do you need anything else?”

“Your phone number?” Lilith suggested.

“Ah-ah. Nice try. But do you really think my number is worth such a little effort?” she fake whined, casually leaning over across the counter.

Pretty, funny, intriguing. Add  _ minx  _ to the list. 

“Of course not,” Lilith smiled, rolling her bottom lip between her teeth. She handed Zelda her credit card and asked: “So, where are you from?”

“Wisconsin,” Zelda said, making a face. “Boring as hell. But I’ve lived in Florence for…” she stopped to count in her mind. “Five years, now.”

“You had a bookstore in Wisconsin, too?”

“Oh, no,” Zelda laughed. “I ran a mortuary. With my sister.”

Lilith laughed: “A mortuary? Well, I would feel better if you’d help me grieving.”

_ Okay, I actually have better lines. _

“That’s just creepy,” Zelda giggled. “And you?”

“Oh, interested?” she smirked, resuming her previous position, leaning against the counter. 

“It’s called making conversation, do they still do it, in the US?”

“Fair enough,” Lilith laughed. “I’m from New York --”

“So I gathered from the accent,” Zelda nodded. “And are you vacationing here?”

“Oh, I wish,” Lilith groaned. “No, I’m doing research. I work for a publishing house and we're going to write something about Dante’s places in the city.”

Zelda snorted. “Please, not another American writing a guide about Dante,” she groaned deeply. “You don’t even know that Dante’s house is a fake nineteenth-century!”

“What?” Lilith gasped. There was a house? Well, okay, of course there should be a house somewhere. It was freaking Florence, after all. But she didn’t dare saying this to the redhead. She was embarrassed enough because she didn’t know  _ a thing _ about Dante’s whereabouts. She had just ignored her boss' advice about gathering info  _ before _ going to Florence.

“Your friends must love you,” she said to Zelda. “You really know how to encourage people, don’t you?”

Zelda laughed: “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to kill your hopes.”

“And on my first day in Florence,” Lilith nodded, shoving the guide in her backpack. 

“Well, Lilith Morningstar,” Zelda smiled. “Have a nice stay in the city.”

“I’ll be back, Zelda Spellman,” Lilith smirked. 

“Oh, is that a promise?” Zelda said back sweetly, and Lilith could have sworn she was flirting back. 

  
  



	2. December 28th, Florence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "She would take a shower, seek some breakfast while she would organize her research. Then, she would go to see Zelda again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey hey! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH for the response in the first chapter of this little Italian trip! I'm WAY BELOW replying to comments but I love you guys veeeery much.  
> Here's the 2nd installment, and it's quick as well. Things will start to get messy and steamy next chapter!  
> As always, please let me know what you think :) I don't want to be a bore but you guys don't know what a simple, quick comment can do to a "writer".  
> Love, E <3

**December 28** th 

**Florence, Tuscany, Italy**

The following morning, Lilith woke up in her room full of sun. She stretched in her bed, relaxing her muscles, and humming in content. She was in Florence, she remembered that. She smiled and turned to face the window, taking in the slice of red roofs she could see from her bed. 

Well, not bad. 

She sat up, resting comfortably against the headboard. There was no need to fret over anything. She started contemplating the possibilities of that day when her mind lingered on red hair and alluring green eyes. Lilith frowned: it never happened that random women messed with her head. Surely not after having met them for half an hour, in a bookstore, of all places. Nonetheless, she allowed herself a few minutes to recall in great detail the red locks framing that perfect face, the delicious cleft in her chin, her big, shining eyes. Of course, possibly 90% of people with red hair possessed green eyes, or so Lilith thought, but Zelda’s eyes were different. They weren’t forest green or bottle green or just _basic_ green, they were… Lilith recalled a beach she had visited once, in northern Australia. There, the water had the exact color of Zelda’s eyes. The last shade of green, before it became blue.  
She sighed. Okay. It was clear what she was going to do. She would take a shower, seek some breakfast while she would organize her research. Then, she would go to see Zelda again.

“And what would you possibly want, here again?” Zelda asked, moving her hair behind her shoulders. She was wearing her hair down, that day, and Lilith found it even more enchanting. “Are you going to knock over some more books?”

It was midafternoon, the sun sliding down, touching the Arno River and the buildings with brushstrokes of pink.

Lilith admired Zelda’s hair, her black glasses, the high-collared grey leopard-print shirt she was wearing. The day before she had thought she looked pretty. She had been wrong: she was stunning. 

“What do you think?” Lilith asked, the smirk present on her face, as she leaned over the counter, resting her forearms on the wooden surface. She held Zelda’s gaze, biting her own lips.

“Let me guess,” Zelda played along. “Get a book? You’re in luck: a new historical fic was released just yesterday,” she explained, moving from behind the counter to get the book, swaying her supple hips in her black dress pants. “And it’s supposed to be amazing. It really is. I started it last night in bed and I stayed up past one. I’m halfway through it.”

“As much as I’m loving to look at your butt, I really hate historical fiction.”

Zelda gasped and turned over, looking at her over her shoulder, weighing the book in her hand: “Excuse me? And you’re not even ashamed?”

Lilith laughed, her head going back, straight, chestnut hair a waterfall on her back. Zelda wasn’t upset that she had mentioned her butt out of the blue. She was upset about her dislike of historical fiction. 

“Well,” she considered, as Zelda walked back behind the counter and hopped up on a stool. “You are good at making people feel guilty, did you know that?”

“I’m good at many things,” she shrugged, flashing a charming smile at the brunette. “Are you going to tell me what you are doing here, or would like a cappuccino or a croissant?”

Lilith grinned: “A cappuccino would be great.”

“I wasn’t exactly offering it to you,” Zelda explained, sighing. “It’s just something Italians say when people take their sweet time.” She gestured to the other side of the bookshop where, as Lilith had spotted the day before, was a little bar corner. “But I guess I could make you a coffee.”

She walked to the other side of the shop, Lilith glued to her, her eyes never moving from the redhead’s ass. 

“Such a lovely place, you have here.”

Zelda turned abruptly and caught her red-handed. 

She smirked: “Yes, I bet you like it.”

She went to the other side of the bar and started fretting around, as Lilith took place on one of the stools.

“American coffee, cappuccino, or espresso?” 

Lilith scrunched her nose: “I ordered an American this morning and they just added hot water to an espresso.”

“Try not to offend me,” Zelda snorted. “I have a regular machine, thank you. I may run a bookstore in Florence but I’m still an American, you know.”

Lilith rested her chin on her cupped hands, elbows on the counter. 

Zelda’s back was facing Lilith, making some cream for the coffee.

“I don’t want cream in my coffee,” Lilith pointed out. Zelda turned her head and flashed her a challenging gaze: “But this is for me.”

“Oh! You’re such a hard worker, aren’t you?” she mocked, eating her up with her eyes. Delicious – Zelda was just _delicious._ And she was trying her hardest to end up fucking her behind one of the vintages, green wooden bookshelves. 

“So, you wanted to know what I’m doing here, don’t you?”

“If that’s not so much trouble,” Zelda shrugged, pushing one mug toward Lilith and adding cream to her own.

Lilith tasted the coffee and smiled: “This is really good,” she praised. 

Zelda blushed slightly but immediately snorted: “It’s just coffee.” Nonetheless, it left her cheek so sweetly colored that Lilith couldn’t help but ask herself if she responded well to praising in another… _situation_ as well.

Zelda left Lilith sitting at the bar counter and started moving around her shop, taking her mug with her, placing it on random spots of the shop as she fixed piles of books, moved bookmarks next to mugs and tote bags next to the front door.

Lilith looked at her for a while, admiring not only the place – which she found charming and nice – but even Zelda herself. Again. It looked like she wasn’t able to tear her eyes from Zelda, but the way her hair reflected the lights from the street…

“I came back because I’ve spent my night and the better part of today wondering if you’re straight.”

When Lilith said it, Zelda was carrying a pile of various editions of Dante’s _Divine Comedy_ from a regular cream-colored bookshelf to a vintage green one. She almost dropped the books, and turned quickly toward Lilith, gasping without actually saying anything. 

“Do close your mouth, dear, you look better when you’re not gasping without knowing what to say.”

Zelda closed her mouth, of course, and frowned: “Do girls usually respond well to you insulting them while you hit on them?”

“It depends,” Lilith grinned. “You tell me. Is it working?”

Zelda rolled her eyes at her and resumed fixing the books around. 

“You seem clever enough to work that out alone,” she sighed, without turning to look at her. Lilith smiled to herself and seized the opportunity to study how her body stretched. 

“So? Are you going to answer my question or not?” she pressured.

Zelda placed some books down calmly and turned to face the brunette: “Answer what?”

“Are you straight? It’s not difficult, dear. It requires a simple reply. Yes or no.”

Instead of sounding annoyed, Zelda smirked: “Oh, but I’m not a simple gal,” she retorted. “Anyway.” She crossed her arms over her chest: “Tell me something: do you like sushi?”

“Are you asking me out?” Lilith chirped. 

“No,” Zelda scoffed. “Just answer the question. Do you?”

“Of course,” Lilith grinned. “You know, to answer your question, and for further references as well.”

“And you like pizza?”

“I do,” Lilith nodded. “I mean, I like almost anything if you ask me. Something specific I need to try, here in Florence?” she asked, letting her gaze slide to embrace the modest swell of the redhead's breasts under the shirt. 

Zelda scoffed again and resumed her work. Lilith let five silent minutes pass, then urged: “So? This answer!”

“I was trying to reply,” Zelda pointed out, sitting behind a Mac laptop at the wooden counter. “But you kept interrupting me.”

“I just don’t get what sushi and pizza have to do with your sexual tastes.”

Zelda raised her face and looked at her under her long eyelashes. “I’m not picky,” she smirked. “I like both sushi _and_ pizza.”

“Oh,” Lilith purred, but Zelda wasn’t finished. “Sometimes I even crave them together.”

Lilith gulped softly. Oh, Zelda was a matching partner, after all. Nice. “Except I don’t like pizza,” she answered. “I mean, I tried, but now – _meh_ ,” she grimaced, and Zelda laughed. “Why do men have to be pizza? It sounds better if they’re related to meat or fish, in my mind.”

Lilith laughed with her, then they stayed in silence, from time to time breathing deeply. Despite the fire, Lilith felt in her bones when the redhead was too close, the bookshop was relaxing, especially on a lazy Monday night at the end of December, during the holidays. That city was always busy, but it looked like they’ve been guaranteed a moment of peace.

“Did you work all day?” she asked.

“No,” Zelda replied, without lifting her eyes from her laptop. “I mean, yes. Shops are normally closed on Monday afternoons but considering that this is a peculiar time of the year I’d thought I’d open anyway. Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

“No,” Lilith shrugged. “I’m perfectly fine right here, thank you.”

Zelda sighed and kept on fixing things around. When she moved some tote bags around, she threw a fierce glance at Lilith, and the brunette blushed.

“So,” Zelda said after a while. “Did you run any research, today? You showed up pretty late in the day.”

Lilith grinned widely: “I knew you were waiting for me!” She pulled out of her leather black backpack a Moleskine and a copy of the _Vita Nuova_ , colorful post-its peeking out the pages. She opened the Moleskine and showed Zelda a messily scribbled list. 

“I wrote down what I need to see, there’s a tick next to what I saw.”

Zelda scrolled down the list, then looked over at Lilith: “What did you read?”

“Uhm?” Lilith raised an eyebrow. “The _Divine Comedy_ , the _Vita Nuova_ , I went half-through the _De Vulgari Eloquentia_ but it basically was the most boring thing I’ve ever read in my life.”

Zelda made a vague sound at the back of her throat, and Lilith just knew that she didn’t agree with her review of the _De Vulgari Eloquentia_. Okay, they clearly weren't going to bond over their love of books. 

“Ok, I mean, have you actually read any book _about_ Dante?” Zelda tried again, looking at her as she was completely clueless. And probably, she was. Lilith just shook her head. 

“Okay, thank your good star you met me,” Zelda sighed, getting up and going to her computer.

“Oh, I’m doing that,” Lilith assured her. “In more than one way.”

“Promises, promises,” Zelda fake-sighed, typing on her keyboard. Lilith was silent for a while, letting her work. After ten minutes, Lilith heard the sound of the printer. Zelda retrieved the papers, added a few notes, and highlighted something. Then, she got up and went back to Lilith, handing her the papers. “Here you go. A few books you might look up to. They can help you and some of those are great reads, as well.”

Lilith scrunched up her nose: “Can I make a confession?”

Zelda looked at her with curiosity. “Of course. Do I have to be afraid?”

“A bit,” Lilith giggled. “I’m not much of a reader.”

“What?!” Zelda squealed, eyes wide, mouth open in a gasp. “But – you are writing a guide! A guide to Dante’s places!”

“I’m not exactly writing it,” Lilith clarified. “I’m just doing research and writing reports. I’ve read Dante’s books, I told you, but that’s for work so that’s different. I just don’t relax with a book.”

“Oh,” Zelda just said.

“And I guess you do, right?”

“Well...” Zelda shrugged. “I read all the time, I’m afraid.”

“It’s okay,” Lilith grinned, and Zelda groaned: “You bet your ass it is, you are the one who’s insane! I mean, how do you relax?”

Lilith smirked and looked at Zelda, head to toe, making the redhead blush.

“Yes, of course. Why did I ask?” she sarcastically retorted, ignoring her own flushing cheeks and neck.

Lilith giggled. 

“Listen, Zelda,” she started and got close to the redhead, who stood still, fear mixed with curiosity dancing in her green eyes. Lilith dared put a hand on Zelda’s hips, and the feeling of her supple flesh under her digits gave her thrills. 

The little bell rang, a couple of people entered the shop. Lilith let her hand drop and shrugged. “I have to go,” she nodded, gathering her belongings.

“ _Buonasera_!” Zelda exclaimed to her customers, before looking questioningly at Lilith.

“I’ll be back,” the brunette promised, flashing her a smile. “I still need to get your number, don’t I?”

  
  



	3. December 29th, Florence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know, a very pretty girl suggested this place claiming they make the best sandwiches but there is no sign of sandwiches whatsoever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello :) here's the third installment of this. I've never done fast burns so I hope you like this!  
> Whatever might be unclear about Florence or the foods mentioned, just let me know! And please don't vomit when you know what the lampredotto is. It actually isn't that bad ;)
> 
> (Didi, please mention how well I spelled SPAT, thank you.)

**December 29 th**

**Florence, Tuscany, Italy**

Lilith crossed her arms on her breasts and kept strolling, looking around.

What a peculiar place. Well, peculiar because she actually found herself unable of forming a better word. She had spent half an hour looking for this goddamn place, and it wasn’t even that great, at a first glance. That panino better be good or she would tell Zelda she knows zero about food. 

Basically, you have to drown yourself in the stands of the Mercato di San Lorenzo (a marketplace named after a saint, of course), and at some point, you have to turn right in between two identical buildings (from Middle Age, of course) and got inside a warehouse of some sort with a red structure and a sign which said Mercato Centrale. The inside, if possible, was even worse. Because she had found the damn thing after walking the same path three times (the bags and the planners made in Italian cowhide were really pretty, after all), and inside it was just another market. Food, this time. Meat, prevalently, and the scent of it assaulted her nostrils. And various other things like cheese - tons of cheese! - and flowers. She got to the second floor and of course, it was more meat and more cheese. There was a coffee shop as well, fancy and modern, which had nothing to do with the vibes of the place. Of course, no sign of a place where she could get some street food or whatever Zelda had advised her. She went back downstairs, vaguely contemplating the idea of hitting a random pizza place, when she felt a hand on her shoulder: “Lilith?”

She turned abruptly and of course, Zelda was in front of her. She was wearing a short denim dress, a pair of leopard print boots, an open red coat and was wearing sunglasses, her hair up in a bun, and a big smile.

“So you go outside of that book shop, from time to time,” she addressed her, even if she was extremely happy about that coincidence.

“It happens,” she nodded, playing along. Lilith grinned: “What are you doing here?”

“I was just running some errands and I thought I’d get some lunch. And you?” 

“Trying to do the same, actually,” she said, tilting her head and flashing Zelda a smile. “You know, a very pretty girl suggested this place claiming they make the best sandwiches but there is no sign of sandwiches whatsoever,” she shrugged. 

“There are if you know where to look,” Zelda grinned. “So you still need to eat, right?”

When Lilith nodded, Zelda breathed: “Come with me,” and she took her hand, guiding her to the last stand, on the other side of the place. Zelda’s hand was little, elegant, and warm on her own, and Lilith guided her pace to match Zelda’s, walking side by side, still holding her hand. 

“We’re here,” Zelda nodded, stepping in front of a stand. 

Lilith smiled back but did not attempt to leave her hand. She wouldn’t dream of it.

Zelda spoke briefly with the man and then asked Lilith: “Porchetta or lampredotto?”

Lilith spat a “What?!” so spontaneous, both Zelda and the man laughed loudly. 

“The first is flavored pork meat with bread, and the second is… the last part of the cow. Cleaned and dressed as well.”

“Zelda, the last part of what of the cow?” Lilith asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s the last part of the rectum. I know it sounds gross but it’s good, I swear.”

“Gross?!” Lilith spat again. “Zelda, this is fucking disgusting!” she protested, making a face. “And they say Italians have the best food ever!” 

The man started saying something in Italian, something Lilith didn’t understand, but Zelda laughed so she guessed he wasn’t offended (or he just didn’t understand English). She said something, pointing to some ingredients with her finger.

“What did you get?”

“I got both for us to share,” Zelda announced. 

“I’m not eating the butt of a cow,” Lilith stated.

“You are,” Zelda grinned. “You’ll like it, I promise. Beer or water?”

“Beer, thank you! Do I get a reward, if I eat it?” she purred, getting closer, a bit into Zelda’s personal space, tracing an imaginary line down her arm. 

Zelda asked the man for two beers, then flashed a smile at Lilith: “And what would you like? My phone number?”

“No,” Lilith shrugged. “You’ll want to give that to me yourself. I want a kiss,” she grinned.

The man pushed two paper plates toward them and Zelda dug in her bag for her wallet, grinning: “You are such a teenager.”

“No, no, it’s on me,” Lilith protested, opening her backpack.

Zelda handed the man twenty euros and shook her head: “You can pay next time. The butt of the cow is on me. Would you like to eat here or outside?”

“Outside,” Lilith grinned, and they thanked the man and walked outside.

Lilith wrapped an arm around Zelda’s waist and asked: “So, this is actually our first date, uh?”

“You don’t know anything about personal space,” Zelda commented, but she made no move to free herself from the hug. “And this is clearly not a date, considering we casually met.”

“And we’re gonna eat butt cow,” Lilith nodded. “But your dress is short and you look sexy, so it’s close to a date, for me.”

Outside was sunny and pretty, and Zelda guided her on a bench right outside the Basilica of San Lorenzo. 

“This church sucks,” Lilith commented.

“Well, it’s pretty bare, but it’s one of the oldest in the city.”

Zelda took both sandwiches outside their wraps and handed Lilith a beer.

“To our first date,” Lilith grinned, toasting to her. 

“Which is not a date,” Zelda smiled, a delicious blush on her cheeks. “Where do you want to start?”

“Butt,” Lilith nodded sharply. “A bet is a bet.”

“You really want this kiss,” Zelda grinned.

Lilith flashed her a smile: “You have no idea.” She picked up the sandwich and made a face. “I’m not sure I can do this.”

Zelda leaned closer and bit her bottom lips: “Look at my lips… Think about how good it will feel…”

Lilith grinned and leaned over, trying to peck Zelda’s lips with her own, but Zelda readily leaned back abruptly and shook her head: “No, no, my dear. First, eat, then kiss.”

Lilith made another face and gulped, then took a tentative bite of the sandwich. She chewed on it, slowly, tentatively. 

“So?” Zelda urged, attacking her own lunch. “Is it good?”

“Not bad,” Lilith grinned, then took another bite. “Thank God I most of all can taste the olive oil and some kind of...delicate meat? I don’t know.”

“I told you,” Zelda smiled again and Lilith looked at her intently. 

“What’s up?” the redhead asked. 

“You’re different. You smile more, outside your shop.”

“No, it’s just that here you haven’t knocked out books or insulted my bag.”

“Wait, how come you’re not working today?” 

“Oh, but I am. I just took a longer lunch break."

“So you play hooky from time to time?” Lilith smirked, occasionally throwing glances at Zelda’s way, and every time, she was surprised by how pretty the redhead looked under the Italian sun. 

“Oh, I usually don’t,” Zelda laughed. “I’m a good girl.”

“I bet you are.”

“Do you want to rest of this?” Zelda asked Lilith, handing her her half-eaten sandwich, ignoring the flirting. Lilith nodded and they switched their sandwiches, Lilith digging with enthusiasm in it. 

“Is it strange that we’re actually eating the other’s leftovers after knowing each other for about ten minutes?” Zelda wondered, taking a sip of her beer. 

“No,” Lilith shrugged. For once, she wasn’t flirting or smirking, her voice was sweet and sincere. “Okay, I mean, I won’t normally do this because I’m a little of a freak about not having people drinking from my glass and such. But I guess I feel comfortable with you.”

“It’s the fact that we’re both American at - literally - the other side of the world?” 

“No,” Lilith shook her head. “It’s because I like you, and I think I’ve made it pretty clear.”

Zelda blushed and diverted her glance. “It is nice to hear this,” she nodded. “I didn’t know if you were just flirting out of boredom or something.”

Lilith loved this Zelda. The Zelda who wasn’t sarcastic and bitchy. Okay, actually she liked that Zelda a lot as well, but this one - this nice, sweet girl, was something completely different.

“I wasn’t. Well, I like to flirt, I’m not going to lie. But I don’t visit your library just to flirt with someone. It happens that I need to travel for work and I like it,” she shrugged. 

Zelda nodded and they don’t say much for a while until Lilith commented on her sandwich: “This is fucking fantastic!”

“It is,” Zelda nodded. “I love porchetta. But the best is her Majesty, the Bistecca Alla Fiorentina.”

Lilith raised an eyebrow: “I’m almost afraid to ask. It’s another disturbing part of an animal?”

Zelda laughed and threw in the near trashcan the wrap of her lunch. She took a sip of her beer and asked: “Do you mind if I smoke?”

“Oh, no,” Lilith grinned. “I think you look sexy while smoking.” 

Zelda rolled her eyes and lightened her cigarette. “Anyway, no. It’s just regular cow meat, cut really thick, and you eat it medium-rare. It’s really good.”

“Do vegetarians survive, in Florence?”

Zelda laughed again. “They do. My sister is vegetarian, actually, and when she visits she loves the food. They make plenty of soups and even something really peculiar which is just tomatoes’ juice with overcooked bread.”

“Where do you eat this… bistecca?” Lilith asked, of course grimacing. She hated how Italian sounded on her lips, but Zelda looked so… exotic when she spoke it. So mysterious.

“In Scandicci,” Zelda nodded. “Or in Fiesole. In the hills mostly. Fiesole is amazing, you get a breathtaking view of the city, from there.”

Zelda finished her cigarette, stumped it off against the side of the trash can, and threw it away. “I’m afraid I have to get back to work,” she sighed.

“Would you like to do that?” Lilith asked, quickly, actually stopping her from making a move. 

Zelda looked at her, puzzled: “Going back to work? Not much.”

“Zelda,” Lilith sighed, rolling her eyes. “Go to Fiesole to eat that thingy. Do you want to do it? Tonight.”

She saw Zelda slowly opening her mouth, probably to answer, and she decided to score: what did she have to lose, after all?

“And before you wonder it, yes, it’s a date. I’m asking you out on a date. Tonight. What do you say?”

Zelda nodded, the blush taking over her cheeks once again. “I would like that.”

“Good,” Lilith grinned. “What time works for you?”

“I close at seven so let’s meet around eight-thirty, what do you say? So I actually have time to shower.”

“Ok,” Lilith nodded. “What’s your address? I’ll pick you up.”

“We can go with my Vespa, but it’ll be a little chilly --”

“Nonsense,” Lilith shook her head. “I’ll pick you up, but in a taxi.”

Zelda fished a piece of paper inside her purse and a pen and scribbled down her address. Then, she got up. “Gotta go,” she sighed. “I’ll see you tonight!”

And she was off. Lilith smirked: no kiss, no phone number. But, after all, good things come to those who wait. 

****

* * *

Something that Lilith Morningstar wasn’t used to, was feeling nervous before a date. And yet, that night in Florence, as she stepped out of her taxi in front of Zelda’s house, she was feeling _a wreck._ She smothered her white turtleneck, her leather black skirt, and fixed the collar of her black coat. She had spent two hours fixing her curls – Zelda had never seen her natural hair and she guessed it was time she did so.

She gestured to the driver to wait for a second, and she got closer to the intercoms, looking for Zelda’s last name when the main door opened, and Zelda stood in front of her.

Lilith’s breath caught in her throat.

“Hello,” Zelda smiled. “Perfectly on time, I see. I like punctuality.”

She had her hair pulled back in an updo, minimum make-up on her face, except for a bright red lipstick. She was wearing a simple back dress, which showed her cleavage and the top of her breast, a leopard print coat on.

“You look fantastic,” Lilith blurted out, unable to contain herself, looking at her from head to toe.

“Thank you,” Zelda smiled. “You too.” She reached out and touched her hair. “Is this your natural hair?”

“Yes,” Lilith grimaced. “I thought I’d confess the secret immediately. My hair actually looks like this.”

“And I love it,” Zelda smiled widely. “You look great. Shall we go?”

“Sure.”

They sat next to each other in the taxi, in silence. The lights of the decorations showed themselves off before their eyes as they drove silently toward Fiesole.

Lilith wanted to say something, to be a showoff like she usually was, but just a glance in Zelda’s direction, and at the sight of the white skin in the moonlight, her courage died. As soon as they started to climb on a winding road up the hill, Zelda got closer and put her hand on Lilith’s shoulder, pointing to the landscape: “Look how great it is,” she whispers, and Lilith breathed deeply, inhaling her scent.

“It is,” Lilith murmured, looking at the Duomo shining in greatness. Then, she made one move out of bravery and placed her hand on Zelda’s.

“Eccoci, signore,” the taxi driver announced pulling over in what looked like the central square of the village. Lilith paid him, despite Zelda’s protests, then the brunette grinned: “So? Where to?”

“Over there,” Zelda gestured to a restaurant, ten steps distant. The place was full of people strolling around and admiring the view over Florence over a banister.

“We can do that later,” Zelda nodded. “Well, actually the restaurant has a terrace where we can eat, and it’s closed up as well so we can eat and be warm as well.”

“Uh, I like that,” Lilith grinned, taking Zelda’s hand once again as they started walking toward the restaurant. “That’s ok, right?” she asked, gesturing to their linked hands.

“Yes,” Zelda nodded. “I appreciate you asking, by the way. You’re much... gentle that I thought.”

“I am,” Lilith agreed. “With the right people, I am, I suppose. I just don’t like to show it, you know?”

“I know a thing or two about that,” Zelda shrugged, as they walked inside, and the waiter walked them to their table.

The place was amazing, something she had never seen before: entirely made of wood, red and white cloths on the tables, with candles burning everywhere. Actually, the heated terrace was closed, but the inside was just so pretty that Lilith didn’t mind.

Some would say that dining with a stranger – because that’s actually what they were, at that point – could be awkward, to say the least, but in this case…it wasn’t.

“So,” Lilith started, as she was presented a bottle of red wine and her _gigantic_ steak. “I want to know something about you.”

“And what would that be?” Zelda asked, her flirtatious smile back in place as she started cutting on her steak. “Tell me if you like the wine.”

Lilith gave it a try: “Amazing. I don’t know, tell me… tell me five things about yourself.”

“Five random things?”

“Yes. Totally random. Except that you are a bookworm and that you have a worn-out tote because I know that already. Hell, I’m surprised you didn’t bring it with you, tonight.”

“You know how to flatter a girl indeed,” Zelda snorted, her sarcastic side showing again. “But okay. Let’s see… I’m the middle child. I have an older brother and a younger sister, and a little niece, who is two.”

Lilith grinned: “Oh, _Auntie Zee_.” She sounded like she was mocking her, but she actually liked the thought of Zelda being an Aunt, providing gently to the needs of a baby. “Tell me something else.”

“I already told you three things, let me think.”

“Don’t cheat, missy! That counted as one: family matters. Tell me more.”

Zelda giggled: “Okay. I love red, leopard print, and vintage things.”

Lilith looked at her, red lipstick, vintage earrings, leopard print coat. “That wasn’t hard to tell,” she smirked. “And that count for one once again: tastes.”

“I know,” Zelda rolled her eyes. “I speak seven languages.”

“ _That_ is cool. Which languages?”

“English and Italian – obviously – Spanish, French, Russian, German, and Latin, which isn’t actually a speakable language but it’s cool to know.”

Lilith beamed: “Okay, I was impressed by your beauty, but I guess I should be impressed by your brain.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow: “You asked me out just because you think I’m pretty?”

“I would use the word _breathtaking_ , and yes, I did notice you because you were the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen in my life and believe me, I’ve seen women before. I asked you out because you have something that pulls me in, even if you are annoying and have a horrible taste in bags.”

Zelda couldn’t help but laugh.

“C’mon, last thing.”

“Last thing… I love Florence, but sometimes, I feel lonely.”

Lilith didn’t say anything. She just looked at her, looking in her green eyes. It was foolish and crazy – they’ve known each other for three days. And yet, she wanted to tell her, that she wanted to know everything about her and that strange city. But she just smiled and pushed the thought away.

“Your turn,” Zelda said softly. “How’s the steak?”

“Amazing,” Lilith nodded. “Okay, let’s see… These are the strangest days I’ve ever lived. I play a part, mostly, but I’m pretty much unconfident all the time. I find the idea of being pregnant cringe, but I would love to have children. I love strawberry milkshakes… and this is the best date of my life.”


	4. December 30th, Florence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I've been waiting for this," Zelda confessed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for your wonderful reviews. This chapter is less funny but maybe you'll like it anyway. :)

**December 30 th**

**Florence, Tuscany, Italy**

Lilith didn’t know how many times she has replayed the scene in her head. For sure, at least ten times before she fell asleep, the night before, and a couple more that morning, in the warmth of her bed, when she had recalled every detail of Zelda the night before, tucked into her arms as they watched the landscape over Florence, without speaking, Lilith tightly holding her hand.

It has been fantastic, of course. The place, the food. Zelda’s beauty in the candlelight, her scent in the taxi. The flirting and the conversation – Zelda was an amazing conversationist, and Lilith loved how she had an opinion about everything and was very willing to tell her. At the end of the day, Lilith had discovered that not only Zelda was breathtaking and funny, but she was also incredibly smart and educated. Hour after hour, it was already one in the morning when the taxi had stopped in front of Zelda’s building, and they had talked and flirted thirty more minutes, despite the taxi driver complaining and the ride costing the brunette a small fortune. Not that she cared. She had even given the man a generous tip.

They hadn’t kissed, they hadn’t had sex – but it truly was the best date Lilith had ever been on. And the mere thought of having sex with Zelda, of slowly peeling her clothes off her body, uncovering her delicate, milky skin inch by inch…

That day, she had woken up and she had to force herself to get some work done, before throwing every sense of duty out of the window and covering the short distance to the bookshop walking as quickly as her legs would allow.

It was another nice day, even if colder than the previous one, and the sun was slowly lowering on the Arno, despite it being only middle afternoon. She passed by a couple walking hand in hand along the river, and she spontaneously wished she got to live in the city with her Zelda, getting to know them both day after day.

Her time in Florence was almost done. She needed to write a report and get some more reading done (both of which she hoped she could do at the bookstore) but overall, she was ready to leave on January 2nd. She still needed to tell Zelda, and yet she wasn’t sad or disappointed. She was going to talk to her boss and see if she could come back and take care of the new Italian opening. The rational part of her brain kept telling her that one amazing date didn’t mean Zelda was the love of her life, and that they could easily not be right for each other and discover that in ten minutes, top. But another part of her, a small, but a strong one, kept repeating that of course, they had just started their journey (hopefully) together, but Lilith had never wanted to start something more in her life.

She pushed the door of the bookstore and got inside, the warmth of the place scalding her cold bones.

“Zelda?” she called, looking around. The place was empty.

“Un attimo!” called her voice from the back of the shop, and of course, Lilith didn’t have the slightest idea of what she’d said, but what counted was the fact that she was there. Lilith felt her heart increasing its beats and followed the voice.

“Hey? Zelda?” she called again, and Zelda appeared from behind the storage’s door and smiled widely: “Lilith! I was wondering where you were.”

“This happens because you still don’t have my number,” Lilith pointed out and started wondering how she was supposed to greet the redhead. Thankfully, Zelda put her out of her misery, and she reached out to gently hug her.

Lilith squeezed her between her arms and kissed her head briefly.

“How are you?” she murmured sweetly, before letting her go. “Have you got enough sleep?”

“Not much,” Zelda grinned. “But it was worth it.”

“It was, indeed,” Lilith breathed, and cupped her cheek with her hand, swiping her thumb over the slight cleft in her chin.

“Do you want anything to drink?” Zelda asked, and Lilith nodded and let her hand fall. “Of course. Let’s go.”

They took places around the little bar corner, Zelda opening two beers and Lilith hopping on a stool.  
“I have two requests,” she announced, gently brushing her fingers over Zelda’s as she took her beer and whispered a quick “Thank you.”

“Do tell,” Zelda nodded. “I’m all ears.”

“Well, I have some paperwork to do and I was wondering if I could do it here? if I don’t bother you, of course.”

“You won’t bother me,” she smiled. “It would be nice to have some company.”

“I want to be near you,” Lilith confessed. “So I thought I’d ask. Here’s okay?”

“No, come to the main counter so we can chat while we work without having to shout to each other.”

Lilith moved her stuff next to Zelda’s laptop, taking her own out of her backpack.

“What are you doing?”

“Just writing reports.”

Zelda was busy scrolling some internet pages and Lilith reached out to move a lock of strawberry blonde hair behind her hair. She blushed and moved her face to the other side out of shyness.

“I need to tell ask you something,” Lilith murmured. “Do you have plans for tonight?”

Zelda shook her head: “No, just tv and bed early, I think. Why do you ask?”

“Do you want to eat something together? I’m in the mood for hamburgers and more beer. And I want to talk to you. I promise I’ll walk you home right after we’re done eating.”

Despite her tiredness, Zelda nodded immediately: “Yes, I would like that.”

She watched Lilith intendedly, then asked: “You’re leaving, right?”

Lilith nodded.

Zelda bit down on her bottom lip, hard, but didn’t say anything. She just nodded sharply. “Write your report,” she said quietly.

They closed up the bookstore ten minutes after seven PM, and when they went out in the cold street, Lilith immediately reached for her hand.

“Don’t you have your Vespa?”

“No, I walked this morning. Do you mind?”

“Of course not.”

They were quiet and polite. Too quiet and too polite, for Lilith’s taste, and she was struggling for something to say, something to make the redhead laugh, when Zelda asked: “What if we go to my place? I have beer and wine in the fridge, and we can order out or I can cook for you.”

Lilith smiled at her and squeezed her hand. “I’d like that,” she said.

They took Ponte Alla Carraia and Zelda was silent again. Lilith turned to her right and stopped a second to admire Ponte Vecchio bathing in his magnificence, and she tugged at Zelda’s hand.

“Look,” she whispered. Zelda stopped and sighed, looking at the landscape she saw every day without getting tired of it, and Lilith just knew what she was supposed to do. She wrapped an arm around Zelda’s waist, bringing her against her chest, and when Zelda raised her face to look at her, Lilith smiled, cupped her face in her hands, and kissed her.

Zelda gulped against her lips, but in a matter of seconds she kissed her back, and Lilith hugged her, tracing her lips with her tongue. Zelda immediately granted her access, thrusting one of her lithe hands in Lilith’s raven curls.

“You taste delicious,” Lilith murmured against her lips, sneaking a hand under her coat and gripping her waist tightly, massaging the soft flesh of her hip.

“I’ve been waiting for this,” Zelda confessed, breaking the kiss. “Let’s go.”

“Are you cold?” Lilith asked as they resumed walking, engulfing her in another hug.

“After that kiss? No, I’m not,” she giggled,” and Lilith leaned over to peck her lips again, but the taste of her was so addicting she had to stop and kiss her again, caressing the inside of her mouth with her tongue. Zelda linked her arms behind her back and flushed her soft chest against Lilith’s, and after a few minutes of heated kissing, she bit her lip and whispered: “If we keep doing that, we’ll never get home.”

“It’s your fault,” Lilith grinned, and she playfully bit the tip of her nose. “You are so tasty.”

Zelda grinned and Lilith leaned closer and whispered in her ear: “I wonder how delicious you’ll taste when you’ll finally come.”

“Lily!” Zelda gasped, the nickname slipping easily from her lips.

“Let’s go home,” Lilith laughed.

* * *

Lilith was stretched on Zelda’s sofa, desperately trying to read and, most of all, to ignore the sound of the water running in the shower.

Zelda’s apartment was fantastic. It was small, with exposed bricks contrasting nicely with modern furnitures. Every possible wall was covered in bookshelves, of course, and she had already spotted a four-poster bed and a tub she couldn’t wait to try.

At that moment, she was trying to get some more reading done, even if she wanted to throw away the damn book and hit the shower with Zelda. Images of wet red hair and miles of white skin roamed in her mind, so she just got up and got her phone to use the app to order their pizza.

Food. Food was nice. They needed food.

“What are you doing?” asked a voice behind her.

Lilith turned slowly and was greeted with a sight that looked like out of one of her dreams: Zelda was in the middle of the room, wearing just a leopard print silky robe, her hair – dried – up in a messy, sexy bun. Lilith placed her phone on the table and slowly walked to Zelda. When she was close enough, she sighed deeply and reached out to untie the know that held the robe closed. In a matter of seconds, the item was a pool of silk around Zelda’s ankles, and whit a small gasp, the redhead was left stark naked.

Lilith grabbed her hips and kissed her eagerly, pushing her backward toward her bedroom.

They stumbled in the dark room and Zelda moaned against Lilith’s lips: “Lily… our dinner…”

“Coming in forty-five minutes,” Lilith panted, pushing Zelda on the bed and climbing on top of her. “I have time to make you come a couple of times.”

Zelda gasped again at the words, and Lilith stopped abruptly, trying to make out her features in the dark.

“Zelda, if – I mean… you want to, right? oh God, I practically _jumped_ you and –”

Zelda giggled and silenced her with a wet kiss. “ _And_ would you please fuck me? Of course, I want it. I did ask you to come over, didn’t I?”

Lilith sighed and quickly discarded her own jeans and sweater, ready to feel Zelda’s skin against her own.

“Oh, Lily,” Zelda sighed, caressing her back and reaching over to unhook her bra.

“You are perfect,” Lilith moaned, moving her head to place kisses on Zelda’s breasts. “Your tits are exquisite,” she complimented, flicking her tongue gently against her nipple. “Do you like it like this? Gentle?” and she reached over with a hand, to trail two fingers over Zelda’s wet folds. Zelda nodded.

“Or you want it rough?” and Lilith pushed two fingers inside, curling it in purpose to make Zelda scream.

“Oh, _God,_ ” Zelda gasped. “I like it both ways… fuck me please,” she whined, and Lilith started biting and sucking on the skin of her neck, working two fingers in and out the redhead. Zelda groaned softly and spread her legs wider, Lilith grinning and kissing a trail down her neck to her breasts. “You are so good…” she praised, gently biting on a nipple. “You like being fucked like this, don’t you?” Lilith swirled the pad of the thumb across Zelda’s clit.

“Oh my God, Lily, I’m so close,” she moaned, and Lilith added a third finger, tickling her clit and sucking her pert nipple, and Zelda came all over her fingers, thrusting her head back against the pillows.

Lilith removed her fingers from her pussy, making sure to brush over her sensitive clit. She licked her finger and grinned: “I was right. you taste delicious.”

* * *

“When are you going back?”

Zelda asked in the dark, reaching with one hand to caress Lilith’s back.

“January 2nd,” Lilith whispered. “But I want to come back. Here. To open up the Italian place.”

Zelda rolled on her belly and grabbed Lilith’s chin: “You’re telling me you’re moving to Italy?”

“I'm telling you I would love to, but… I don’t want you to feel pressured. I’m getting my own place and trying to build my own life, I just… if you want, we can date. I… I want you to become my girlfriend. In due time. _If_ you’ll want it.”

Zelda giggled and kissed Lilith’s lips softly: “I _do_ want to be your girlfriend,” she whispered on Lilith’s lips. “It’s crazy but we…”

“We feel right,” Lilith giggled, kissing her again softly.

“We feel very right,” Zelda sighed, and cuddled close to her until the pizza guy rang the bell and Lilith went to open the door half-naked.


	5. December 31st, Florence - part one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We don’t have to know just now,” Zelda smiled, breaking the kiss and hugging her close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you like this and that I made a decent work explaining the Italian's jokes :D

**December 31 st \- part one**

**Florence, Tuscany, Italy**

Lilith rolled on her belly and slowly opened her eyes. The room was still bathing in dim light, it was probably very early. She blinked a few times, trying to put the basics into focus: she was naked. She wasn’t in her apartment. The pillow on which her face was currently smashed smelled of Zelda. The last element, but probably the more relevant, was the shower in the adjacent bathroom running. She grinned and stretched, suppressing a yawn as she moved her hair away from her face. She wasn’t a fan of waking up early, but she got the feeling it would be worth it. She got up and didn’t bother to put clothes on. Tiptoeing to the bathroom, she sneaked inside and was greeted with the sight of Zelda’s naked back and ass through the window walls of the shower. She scanned the room and found a band whit which she combed her mass of hair in a tight bun on her head. Zelda was singing to herself, as she shampooed her hair, and Lilith stopped for a second, just to enjoy the sound of her voice – so soft and harmonic, so light, so different from her speaking voice – and the way the muscles of her back and shoulders flexed under the water.

_It must have been love – but it’s over now_

_It must have been good – but I’ve lost it somehow_

_It must have been love – but it’s over now…_

Her chest filled with strange warmth and wetness formed between her thighs. She silently opened the door of the shower and Zelda turned abruptly when she was almost pressed against her body.

Zelda yelped and Lilith laughed.

“Are you singing _It must have been love_?” she inquired, and Zelda blushed. Instinctively, their arms wrapped around each other.

“It’s a beautiful song…” Zelda murmured.

“But we’ve just started, haven't we?”

Their lips locked, and Lilith discovered as a pleasant surprise that Zelda’s lips tasted like something utterly familiar, despite having tasted them a number of times not even closer to what she wanted.

“Good morning, Lily,” the redhead moaned, and Lilith sucked at her jawline. “Morning to you. I expected to wake up with you in bed.”

“I’m sorry,” Zelda breathed, thrusting her head back to gather Lilith full access to her neck. “But I have to open the shop in two- _ah oh God_ – hours.”

“Can I mess up with your morning routine a little?” Lilith smirked, lowering her face so her mouth could make contact with her breasts as her hands cupped her ass and squeezed her buttocks. Zelda moaned and Lilith spotted small brickwork on which were resting a few hair products and a hairbrush. Oh, that would just do. She pushed Zelda in that direction and helped her hop on it.

“Lily, what –”

But she got immediately _what Lily_ was trying to do as the brunette took place between her legs and went back to kissing her chest and neck.

“Finally, someone who got the meaning of this brickwork,” Zelda sighed, resting her head against the wall and her hands on Lilith’s shoulders.

“I’m a smart gal,” Lilith smirked, kneeling to align her face with Zelda’s waiting sex. “Are you ready?”

“Are you kidding me? Fuck me, or do you need a written invitation?”

“Let me guess – another Italian joke?”

“ _Lily_!”

“You turn me on when you got all frustrated and vulgar,” Lilith grinned, and without waiting for Zelda’s reply, she steadily attacked her clit, sucking the bundle of nerves between her teeth. The answer was immediate, as Zelda linked a leg behind Lilith’s back and swore, loud and Italian: “Oh Cristo!”

Lilith laughed, tongue tracing her labia: she didn’t need a translation at that time.

* * *

“You’re a fool, opening this place on December 31st,” Lilith commented, going into Zelda’s bookshop.

She had run a few errands, came back to the Dante Museum, took another tour of the Santa Croce Church, and had run back to the bookstore just in time to start missing Zelda again.

The redhead was on a ladder, fixing ten copies of the same book on one of the highest shelves. She was wearing a tight pair of jeans and Lilith whistled: “But the view pays back, indeed.”

Zelda groaned loudly: “I don’t know if I’m flattered that you still flirting with me even after I put it out,” she commented. “Anyway, two insults in two minutes. You’re a pro, at this.”

She fixed the last book, then expectedly got off, jumping to the ground skipping the last two steps.

“Showoff,” Lilith grinned, and her smirk widened when she noticed the red, loose, low cut sweater Zelda was wearing. That morning the redhead had given her a rushed kiss when Lilith was about to doze off after the great shower sex, the redhead already wearing her coat.

Zelda’s make-up was nicely done, with various shades of golden eyeshadows, matt red lipstick, and her hair was down, a few locks pinned up on her temples. She looked delicious, and Lilith definitely enjoyed her both naked _and_ dressed.

“I’m a woman of many talents, exactly like yourself,” Zelda commented. “One of which includes getting off a ladder with much grace.”

“And here I was, thinking you would fall, and I’d get to catch you,” Lilith sighed, faking a dramatic pose, batting her eyelashes at Zelda.

The redhead laughed throatily. “Do you need an excuse to take me in your arms?” she flirted and hugged the brunette hello. Lilith moved her face and placed a soft kiss on Zelda’s smiling lips. “Mmh, I’ve missed you,” she moaned, biting down on Zelda’s bottom lip.

“Who knew you were such a romantic. Would you like some coffee?” she asked, moving to the bar.

“Yes,” Lilith grinned. “I’d love that.”

She hopped on a stool, watching Zelda intently.

“What?” the redhead smiled, giving her a mug.

“You look really nice, today,” Lilith said, and this time, she wasn’t smirking or flirting. She was just confessing something, a sweet smile on her face. “Red suits you.”

“It’s my favorite color,” Zelda smiled, circumnavigating the counter to hop on the stool next to Lilith’s. “But thank you. You look good too.”

“I bet I do,” the brunette smirked, back to her usual attitude, tossing her styled curls with a gentle move of her head. Zelda laughed, and then she drank some of her cappuccino.

“How was your morning?”

Lilith pulled out of her leather black backpack a Moleskine and a copy of the _Vita Nuova_ , colorful post-its peeking out the pages. She opened the Moleskine and showed Zelda a messily scribbled list.

“Look. My to-see list is all done.”

Zelda looked over the list, then looked over at Lilith: “You were telling me you haven’t read anything, except for his books, right?”

“Right,” Lilith nodded. “But do you think I need to do some more reading?”

"Well, it would do you good," Zelda smiled.

"No, thank you, but no. I've read more Italian crap in two days than in my entire life. No."

"Suit yourself," Zelda shrugged, and Lilith smirked: "Don't worry: I still like you. Even if you'd love to see my live reading."

“Oh, well, thank God for that,” Zelda whispered, leaning against the counter, bringing their lips close.

Lilith was unsure if she wanted to say something back or simply kissing, biting, ruining those red lips, but the door busted open, the ringing of the little bell covered by a few gleeful cries, as two women came inside.

“ _Buongiorno, bellezza!_ ”

“ _Buon ultimo giorno!_ ”

Zelda gasped: “ _Oddio, ragazze!_ ” and jumped up, going to hug the new addictions.

They were two women, a blonde and a brunette, looking about her age. Zelda hugged them both, and immediately, Lilith felt uncomfortable, as she was intruding in someone else’s life. It was not the two of them anymore. She got up, suddenly in a hurry, gathering her belongings, but when she turned around, she saw Zelda with her arm slumped around the blonde’s waist, but looking at her, puzzled: “Where are you going?”

“I have things to do,” Lilith replied hurriedly, a fake smile on her face.

“No, you don’t. It’s the last day of the year, for hell’s sake! And I want you to meet my friends.”

“Okay,” Lilith nodded, still not convinced. “I don’t speak Italian, tho.”

“No need to,” smiled the blonde one, who, Lilith had to admit, was _gorgeous._ Blonde curls, big, light-blue eyes, pink lips, white teeth, with a nice body. “I’m American,” she smiled.

“This is Felicity,” Zelda told her, slinging her arm around the blonde’s shoulders. “My best friend. And that one is Giuliana, but we call her Jules.”

“The one they’ve adopter. I’m Italian but I speak English,” the brunette said. She was stunning as well, petite, big brown eyes, long black curls.

“I’m Lilith,” she nodded, shaking hands. “I’m from New York. I’m working here, actually.”

“Nice to meet you,” both of them said, squeezing her hand. Zelda freed herself from Felicity’s embrace and went back to sit on her stool.

“Lilith stopped by a few days ago and she almost destroyed my shop.”

“I didn’t _destroy_ it, I just hit a pile with my backpack.”

“Oh, you came early morning, right?” Giuliana – _Jules_ – asked. “Zelda always has piles around in the mornings.”

“And you came back,” Felicity smiled. It wasn’t a question, she just said it. Lilith liked Felicity already. She nodded: “Yes, then I came back.”

Zelda laughed, even if there was no need to laugh, and Zelda didn’t laugh without reason, and she asked: “Spritz?”

“Yes, oh God, yes!” Felicity groaned, followed close by Jules.

“What?” she just asked.

“It’s a cocktail,” Zelda smiled, and she got back, passing by Lilith to go make the drinks. As she did so, she unconsciously brushed her hand over her shoulder and Lilith’s throat went dry.

“I already know you drink, or I would have put a picture of yours in my window with I sign _I can’t come inside,_ ” Zelda said, bending to open the fridge and taking out two bottles. Felicity and Giuliana laughed hard and greedily, and Lilith frowned: “I don’t think I got the joke.”

“Another Italian thing. In the 90s in most shops, there were pictures of dogs with that sign in the shop’s windows.”

“You’re not as funny as you think you are,” Lilith smirked, trying to gain back some point but completely enamored with Zelda all the same. And I clearly drink; who do you think you’re talking to?” Lilith spat, looking at her with clear disgust. Felicity and Jules laughed and even Zelda bit down a smile.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Thank God for that, I couldn’t have held that, too.”

It was Lilith’s time to blush, as the other two looked at them, puzzled.

“It’s another joke at my expenses,” Lilith sighed. “She didn’t take all that well that I don’t spend my life with my nose buried in a book.”

Both Jules and Felicity gasped, and Lilith snorted: “Ok, I can see why you guys are friends.”

Zelda giggled, clearly done with their drinks, and started passing them around to her friends. She looked at Lilith and gestured with her finger that she came closer. Lilith walked around the counter and slipped behind it, and Zelda immediately wrapped an arm around her waist and pointed to the glass, filled with an orange liquid and some ice cubes.

“Try it,” Zelda nodded. “Don’t be afraid.”

“Sweetie, after the butt of the cow, you think I’m afraid of some cocktail?”

It was the first time Lilith called her any pet name, and even if it clearly sounded sarcastic to the two witnesses, Zelda felt her heart skip a bit.

Lilith took her glass and bring it to her lips, taking a tentative sip.

“Oh, that’s really good,” she grinned, wrapping her arm around Zelda’s shoulder and bringing her close. “You are really good at making drinks,” she smirked, and Zelda blushed profusely. “As you are at multiples other things.”

“Zee, you blushing?” Felicity inquired, eyes as big as two tea plates (and Felicity’s eyes were anything but small.)

“One of _my_ many talents,” Lilith smiled.

“Anyway,” Zelda gulped. “Not that I’m not happy to see you guys, because I am… but what are you doing here?”

“Oh, listen to her,” Jules mocked, elbowing Felicity. “She wants to know what we are doing here!”

“Wishing our best friend a great start to the new year, of course,” Felicity shrugged. “Especially considering that you stood us up, and I swear I’m not telling you this to make you feel guilty. Sophia is simply devasted.”

Zelda giggled: “Oh, poor Soph! I’ll make up to her. And I’m sorry about tonight, guys.”

Still tucked in Zelda’s arms, Lilith glanced at her: “Why aren’t you celebrating with your friends?” she asked softly.

“I was about to ask you, but of course they had to spill the beans for me.”

“Oh, we didn’t know she was the reason,” Jules argued. “Don’t be rude.”

“Don’t unleash the Jewish temper,” Felicity giggled, grabbing Jules’ wrist. “C’mon, let’s go.”

They hugged Zelda with transport, and Lilith out of courtesy, wishing you both a great end and start and promising to call or text later.

Alone again, Zelda looked at Lilith, shiny green eyes and a shy smile. The brunette couldn’t help but grin, and she gripped Zelda’s waist, bringing her close to lean into her warmth and her scented hair.

“What was all that fuss about?” she asked, trailing Zelda’s ear with her nose and placing occasional kisses on her neck.

“I lowkey stood them up because I’ve been wanting to ask you if you wanted to celebrate together.”

Lilith moved her red hair away from her shoulders and cupped the back of her neck. Their eyes met and she whispered: “We’ve been together all night… why are you telling me this just now?”

“And why you were trying to escape when my friends got here?”

“I…” Lilith sighed. “I don’t know, I did it out of reflex. I don’t know anything about your life here.”

Zelda nodded. “We need to learn. To trust each other, mostly.”

Lilith leaned closer, they shared a small smile and Zelda reached over to initiate a sweet kiss that quickly turned passionate.

Zelda linked her arms around Lilith’s neck and sighed: “I’m really sad about you leaving.”

“Can you come to visit me?” she whispered, fidgeting with the collar of Zelda’s shirt.

“But – you said you were going to come back.”

“I am,” Lilith nodded, stealing another kiss that Zelda gave her rather willingly. “But I don’t know when, it might take some months and I don’t think I want to stay that long away from you.”

She frowned. “I – I’m sorry, I’m not the needy type, usually. I’ve had a long-distance thing once, and I survived like six months without seeing her.”

“Were you faithful?” Zelda whispered and Lilith shrugged. “Yes, I was. Just… not very interested, I suppose.”

Zelda smiled and hugged her close. “I’m not needy,” she confessed. “But when I care… _I care_. I just don’t want to be alone in this.”

“You’re not,” Lilith blew on her mouth, kissing her again. “I’ve just – I don’t know,” and she kissed her again.

“We don’t have to know just now,” Zelda smiled, breaking the kiss and hugging her close. “What’s really matter is that we do _want_ to know. At some point. In due time, ok?”

Lilith got lost in those emerald eyes. “Yes. In due time.”


	6. December 31st, Florence - part two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda laughed long and hard, the first laugh of the new year. She gave Lilith another kiss: “Ok, then. As you wish. Happy New Year, Lily,” and she let the lantern go. “Make a wish!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Almost the end. I hope you like this little celebration. I'm still feeling off so my writing is off as well, but it should be decent. Much love! :) <3
> 
> The piece Lilith reads it's taken from "A Practical Handbook for the Boyfriend," a brilliant book by my beloved Felicity Huffman.

**December 31 st – part two**

**Florence, Tuscany, Italy**

Lilith got off of the taxi in front of a white, fancy-looking villa in the middle of the hills surrounding Florence. She looked around and checked the address Zelda had texted her (yes, apparently it had taken a few orgasms to have the redhead surrender and finally giving her her phone number), but apparently, it was correct.

Zelda had been completely elusive: she had literally pushed Lilith away as soon as she had closed the shop, telling her to meet her at that address at five PM, to bring an overnight bag and a change of clothes, and that she would have arranged everything.

Of course, her phone had no service. How nice. She went closer to the intercom and tried to figure out what name she should ring but there was just one last name with two different first names. She was about to have an identity crisis when the door opened and Zelda appeared, wearing a maxi red sweater reaching mid-thigh, pantyhose, and a pair of grey UGG.

“Hey!” she greeted, a warm smile on her beautiful features, and immediately Lilith felt relaxed and ready for the night of celebration waiting for them.

“Hi beautiful,” she grinned. “Where are we?”

“This is Scandicci,” Zelda explained, walking across the garden to open the gate for Lilith. “And I guess you want to know whose house is this.”

“That would have been my next question,” Lilith nodded, but at that point, she was close enough to the other woman that talking didn’t matter anymore. She linked her boney arms around Zelda’s hips and brought the redhead’s soft body against hers, pressing her mouth against hers.

“Lily,” Zelda grinned, looking at her with something in between lust and adoration.

“You make me lose my religion, when you call me Lily,” Lilith confessed, sliding her hand under Zelda’s sweater to caress her thigh. Zelda laughed and stepped back: “No, no, _no_ , missy. No funny business. The whole purpose of this evening is to get to know each other.”

“Oh, but I know you,” Lilith smirked, wrapping her arm around Zelda’s back as they walked to the house. “I know you come faster if I suck on your nipples,” she whispered in her ear.

“Lily!” Zelda exclaimed, and the brunette laughed: “I’m sorry, I’m joking. I’m all for knowing each other.”

“You better be,” Zelda mumbled.

They got into the house, and Lilith found herself in a large, cozy living room with an open kitchen, a massive wooden table, big, fluffy red couches, a white carpet, and a fireplace.

“What a nice place,” she commented, placing her overnight bag next to one of the couches.

“Felicity’s husband is the owner,” Zelda explained, walking to the table and finishing unpacking stuff from a shopping bag.

“Oh, I’m glad. I was afraid your friends would be upset about you spending New Year’s Eve with me, but it seems they’re good.”

“Ah, no,” Zelda laughed. “Jules probably is, but Felicity would be pissed for a couple of days. She’s pretty much possessive over me. Thank God her husband will probably take my side.”

Lilith walked to the table and wrapped her arms around Zelda, her head on her shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to argue with your best friend because of me,” she murmured.

“Oh, don’t.” She turned her head and gently pecked Lilith’s cheek. “You’re worth it. And I know her, I’ll just have to explain.”

“To explain what?”

“That I didn’t stand them up for a fling,” Zelda murmured, suddenly focused on the item she was taking out of her bag.

Lilith didn’t reply, she just kissed Zelda’s neck and buried her nose in her hair, inhaling the scent of her conditioner and wondering once again how it was possible to feel everything she was feeling so early, so suddenly. She was ready to bet everything on Zelda, on them together, and at the same time, she didn’t know how she would react if she’d found herself dead in the water.

“What’s all of this?” she asked.

“Just a few things for us to do today, along with a traditional Italian New Year’s Eve meal and a Christmas dessert.”

Lilith sneaked one hand inside the bag and grabbed a paper package, but Zelda slapped her wrist: “Don’t peak. That’s a surprise.”

“A surprise for me?” Lilith grinned, playfully biting down where the neck meets the shoulder. “I hope it’s something lacy and red I’ll get to tear off you,” she grinned.

“You’re terrible,” Zelda grinned. “It’s something slightly more romantic than a lacy thong, but maybe you aren’t much of a romantic, uhm?”

Lilith grabbed her hips and turned her over so they could face each other.

“Are you joking?” Lilith smiled. “We’re in a fantastic villa in the middle of Italian’s hills and I have you. There’s nothing more romantic than that.”

“Flatterer,” Zelda complained, but she gladly accepted the kiss the brunette wanted to give her.

“Now,” the redhead said after they broke the kiss. “You go sit on the couch,” and she gently pushed Lilith by her hips. “Do you want a beer? We can have a drink and watch a movie and then I’ll take care of our dinner.”

Lilith nodded: “I’d like that.”

Zelda took two beers from the fridge, discarded her boots, and curled on the couch, passing Lilith the remote so she could select something for the both of them to watch on Netflix.

Lilith was still amazed at how easy it was to be around Zelda, as she watched her long legs and her bouncing red curls.

Of course, the movie played with no witness. The brunette, true to her words, acted as the perfect gentlewoman. After a couple of minutes, Zelda was laying down with her back on Lilith’s chest, as she talked lazily yet excitedly about her sister and her brother in law’s bakery, about her nice and her brother, who she clearly loved deeply.

Lilith didn’t talk, she just listened, fingers casting off locks of fiery hair.

“And you?” Zelda asked at some point.

“I’m an only child and my parents died a long time ago,” she replied, still caressing Zelda’s hair. The redhead gasped, but Lilith placed a comforting kiss on her head. “I’m used to being alone by now. I mean, I go out with my colleagues, I have friends, but I travel alone for work all the time, effortlessly.”

“Important relationships?”

“One. With a man. A long time ago. Actually, the only relationship I ever had with a man.”

“And it went bad?”

Lilith let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Terrible. He was a real bastard. And you?”

“One long-standing boyfriend who could also be described as a bastard, and the last one with a French girl.”

“And what happened?”

“She…had a tendency to lie.”

Lilith didn’t reply. She cupped Zelda’s neck and make her turn, so she could kiss her once again. “We’re not exactly lucky in love, I suppose,” she stated, and Zelda made a humming sound and snuggled deeper in her arms. 

“We won’t get depressed on New Year’s Eve,” Zelda declared.

“Of course, we won’t,” Lilith agreed. “Especially because this is such a particular start of a New Year.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, it never happened to me to start a year with someone I’ve known for a few days and felt so close to.”

Zelda rolled on her belly and stretched over Lilith’s body. “Close, uh? Is that so?” she purred.

Her iPhone, lost in between the cushions of the couch, rang.

“I wonder who the killjoy is,” Zelda groaned, rolling over once again, resuming her place with her back against the brunette’s chest.

“Oh, Felicity!”

It was a Facetime call, and she answered it without moving, framing with her cellphone both herself and Lilith. Instinctively, the brunette squeezed her arms even tighter around Zelda’s middle.

“Ciao, tesoro,” Felicity greeted, and Zelda smiled: “Hi to you too, sweetie,” so that Lilith could gather what she’d said.

“Oh, hey, Lilith!”

“Hi, Felicity. Thank you for letting us stay here, the house is amazing.”

“You’re welcome, it’s not a problem.”

“And don’t be too mad at Zelda, please. I’m sorry that I stole her from you guys.”

Felicity smiled: “Don’t worry. Enjoy your time together. Zelda, I called because I wanted to know if you’d found the house in decent conditions, considering Bill was there alone, last time. But also, because Soph wants to talk to you.”

Both Lilith and Zelda giggled. “The house is perfectly fine. And put Soph on the phone already!”

A blonde girl with sparkling blue eyes, the exact copy of her mom, appeared on the screen and after a brief introduction, Zelda spoke to her eagerly in Italian. Lilith kept quiet, looking at the interaction, and even if she wasn’t getting a single word, she found herself wondering if she could be able to shape herself a place in that world.

Zelda imposed that Lilith stayed on the couch, and the brunette relaxed _with a book._ Actually, it was some sort of guide for men about girls and women in general, and Felicity and Jules had written and published it together ten years before. Lilith had taken it off a shelf to take a look at it, and it had ended with her reading out loud random pieces to Zelda, laughing hard every few sentences.

“Zelds!” Lilith exclaimed at some point. “Listen to this: _Women prefer thirty to forty minutes of foreplay (as any cookbook will tell you, it’s best to preheat the oven before you put the roast in), while men are content with thirty to forty seconds (which is enough to put a TV dinner in the microwave). Your suggestion that we go back to your place, though charming, does not count as foreplay._ This is so fucking brilliant! I love your friends!”

Zelda was laughing hard: “I love that book a lot! That’s actually one of the funniest parts, to me.”

The redhead was taking care of the dinner, and a pot was currently bubbling on the stove with lentils in it, while Zelda was baking cookies. Lilith had asked a few times if she needed any help, but as soon as she’d found the book, she had stopped asking.

“I’ve never eaten any of this,” Lilith commented as they sat down, ready to enjoy the dinner.

“Have I ever fed you something bad?” Zelda smiled.

“Oh, well, after the butt of the cow… what’s this?” she asked, pointing to a sort of sausage swimming in a sea of lentils.

“That’s cotechino. It’s a pork sausage. Very sweet, very good. And lentils are lentils. Italians eat this on New Year’s Eve for good luck and because they think it brings you money.”

“Oh, well,” Lilith shrugged. “Who am I to pass by such an important occasion?” she took a bite and moaned: “Oh my gosh, Zelda, this is freaking good!”

Zelda laughed: “I’m glad you like it.”

“I can’t believe my luck,” Lilith grinned. “You’re breathtaking, sexy, good in bed, smart, own a successful business and you cook like that.”

Zelda blushed but smirked: “Italians would say that I’m a…. _un pezzo da novanta._ And don’t ask what it means, literally that I’m worth ninety.”

Lilith leaned closer and kissed her quickly: “You’re worth a million.”

They ate dinner slowly, savoring every course, laughing, talking, sharing anecdotes, and sometimes sweet kisses. After they were done, they did the dishes still talking and poking each other. At some point, Lilith tickled Zelda’s side, she yelped, Lilith caught her in her arms, and the dished laid forgotten in the sink as they lost themselves in each other’s arms.

It was a quarter before midnight when Zelda started gathering things around and asked Lilith to help her.

“What are we doing?”

“Going outside for the proper celebration. Turn on the radio, they’ll do the countdown.”

“Zelda, outside? It’s freaking winter! We’re not in Australia!”

Zelda laughed freely: “I know, you fool. But Felicity has a part of her garden closed and there’s a heater. It has glass walls, so we’ll be able to see the fireworks and the sky.”

“Have I already mentioned that I love Felicity?”

“Enough times to make me jealous.”

Grabbing a blanket from the couch, Zelda made it outside. She had been right: in that sort of greenhouse was warm enough, and they cuddled on the wooden bench, as Zelda guided her in a tour of desserts.

“This is Vin Santo with Cantucci. It’s a liqueur wine in which you dip the Cantucci. I love it.” She dipped one cookie in the wine and feed it to Lilith.

“My God, this is amazing!” and, for good measure, she leaned into peck Zelda’s lips.

“That’s the Panettone. It’s a sweet bread with candies and raisin. They make it in Milan, and we eat it just in December.”

Lilith tasted that too, and liked it, even if she had loved the whole Vin Santo and Cantucci affair more.

“And those?” Lilith purred, pointing to a tray with the cookies Zelda had baked.

“Just regular cookies I baked because I like them.” Zelda shrugged and fed Lilith one. The brunette bit off a piece and moaned.

“How’s it?”

“Good… and sweet…” she kissed Zelda. “But you’re the sweetest and the best cookie, Zelds.”

“Fool,” the redhead grinned.

After that, they drunk coffee in silence, locked in a warm embrace.

“Come with me,” murmured Zelda at some point and they went outside, the redhead carrying a plastic bag.

“What do you have there?”

Zelda drew out of the bag a lantern of desires.

“I know it’s stupid,” she started. “But—”

“It’s not stupid,” Lilith shook her head. “It’s… probably the most romantic thing I’ve ever done.”

“Told you it would have been more romantic than a thong,” Zelda smirked.

_“10… 9… 8… 7…”_

Lilith passed an arm around Zelda’s waist and placed the other hand on one of Zelda’s, the redhead putting the wick on fire.

_“6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Buon Anno!”_

“Happy New Year, Cookie,” Lilith grinned against Zelda’s mouth. As the redhead raised an eyebrow, she sulked: “Yes, I have a nickname for you. Get used to it.”

Zelda laughed long and hard, the first laugh of the new year. She gave Lilith another kiss: “Ok, then. As you wish. Happy New Year, Lily,” and she let the lantern go. “Make a wish!”

They watched the lantern rise, somehow taking a place in the dark, in between clouds, the little flame sparkling in distance. Zelda sighed softly in Lilith’s ear.

They didn’t need to ask the other what they’d wished for. They already knew.

From inside, the radio passed a song, and Zelda hugged Lilith close to her chest, holding her eyes hostage.

_I found a love, for me_

_Darling just dive right in and follow my lead_

_I found a girl beautiful and sweet –_

_I never knew you were the someone waiting for me._

Lilith smiled brightly, leaning close to steal one, two, ten kisses. It was like a fairytale, and it was about to end, and yet she couldn’t get herself to feel scared of the future. What she felt was just a sense of great expectation, filled with hope.

_Darling just kiss me slow_

_Your heart is all I own_

_And in your eyes, you’re holding mine_

They made sense. It didn’t matter if it was a few days. Zelda felt right. She fitted. Every fiber of Lilith’s body was telling her so. Maybe, for the first time in her life, something good and pure was happening to her, and no other shoe was supposed to drop. Maybe.

On their heads, fireworks exploded.

_Baby, I’m_

_Dancing in the dark_

_You between my arms_

_Barefoot on the grass…_

“I won’t take off my shoes,” Lilith grinned, and Zelda laughed throatily. “You’re such a fool,” she lovingly commented. Then, she bit her lip and a different light passed through her eyes. “You know what I was thinking?”

“What?”

“We’ve known each other for a year, now, don’t we?”

“Zelda, we met literally less than a week ago –”

“Yes, but it was last year, right? And now it’s a whole new year, so…”

She shrugged, and she was just so utterly adorable Lilith tugged at her head and bite her neck. “You’re right, my Cookie,” she murmured, making Zelda blush. “Somehow, it’s a year, isn’t it?”


	7. January 1st, Scandicci, Florence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Zelda didn’t know any of that.  
> Zelda didn’t belong to any of that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, here we are! One chapter to the end.  
> Let me know what you think and most of all what you think the end would be <3
> 
> [Most of all: do you find Zelda extremely out of character? she sometimes sticks to me more as Miranda herself than impetuous, severe Zelda Spellman, but this is young and drama free, so...]

**January 1 st**

**Scandicci, Florence, Tuscany, Italy.**

When Lilith opened her eyes, she found herself naked in an unfamiliar bed, the room filled with the light of a pale, winter sun, her face pressed against Zelda’s neck.

The redhead was still asleep, laying on her back, duvet draped around her middle, tempting breasts exposed, gently moving up and down in rhythm with her breathing.

Lilith cuddled closer, wrapping her arm around and middle and breathing deeply against her neck. She smelled so good, and her skin under her own hands was so soft. She couldn’t really get enough of her, this strong, quiet girl who owned a bookstore and was the personification of sarcasm. She felt her heart crushing at the thought of having to leave her, to go back to a place, a time, where Zelda wasn’t in the picture. She thought for a second about her life in New York, her apartment, her bike, her office. She thought about her colleagues, her boss, the coffee shop where she had her coffee every morning, reading the newspaper. The bar she hit on the weekends, the shop at the corner which always had the prettiest bag and where, after the time she got six in one day, she avoided stopping at.

Zelda didn’t know any of that.

Zelda didn’t belong to any of that.

She would have to go back, tomorrow, and she knew everything was going to still be the same, except _she_ wasn’t.

She had changed.

She was not the same Lilith she had been when she had left New York, a week before, and as much as it was strange, as much as she couldn’t believe it – she rolled over and studied intently Zelda’s exquisite features. She reached up and gentle, a touch like a butterfly, traced Zelda’s eyebrows with the pad of a finger, gently descending down the curve of her nose, reaching her lips. Every fold, every defect of that face, she now knew, and… she took a deep breath before her mind shaped the word: she now knew and _loved._ She was nowhere near to be ready to tell her, and she doubted she will be for a while, but she was falling in love with Zelda at a devastating fast pace.

The night before she hadn’t been afraid. Now, she was concerned, to say the least, if not completely terrified. What if Zelda’s interest in her was going to disappear as soon as she got on the plane? She had heard a saying, the other day: _lontano dagli occhi, lontano dal cuore._ Which meant far from the eyes, far from the heart. The same concept of _out of sight, out of mind._ Except it wasn’t like that, for her. She wanted Zelda and wanted everything that was going to come their way. She wanted the mind-blowing sex, the passion, the hand-in-hand walks downtown at night during summer. She wanted the sleeping in on Sunday mornings, she wanted the sleepy vanilla sex during the week. She wanted the mood swifts during their period, she wanted the fights, she wanted to cry for her and be mad at her. She wanted to discover every little habit of Zelda that would drive her crazy, she wanted to make Zelda mad with _her_ irritating customs. She wanted to experience love, and she wanted to experience pain. She wanted it all with Zelda. and, even if she was normally someone who studied people before deciding to trust them or not, she felt like she’d knew Zelda all her life.

The redhead started to wake up, and Lilith sensed her breath changing.

She placed a series of kisses along her neck, and Zelda sighed deeply. Still eyes-closed, Zelda murmured: “Morning, sweetie,” and Lilith’s heart swelled with love. She rolled on top of her lover and kept kissing her throat, down to the valley between her breasts.

Zelda slips her fingers in Lilith’s wild curls, stroking her scalp and silently urging her to go on, to keep kissing her.

“You are so beautiful,” Lilith murmured, gently, lightly tracing the swell of one of Zelda’s breasts with her lips. “I can’t believe how exquisite you are.”

“You are the stunning one,” Zelda sighed, eyes closed, enjoying the contact. “Your eyes make me lose my mind.”

Lilith went on and on, kissing down her body calmly, tracing the prominence of Zelda’s hips with her tongue.

“I don’t want to leave you,” she murmured, hiding her face against Zelda’s soft belly for a second. “I don’t want to live in a place where I can’t come to visit you at the bookstore.”

She placed kiss after kiss, fingertips running up and down Zelda’s thighs.

“Lily,” Zelda moaned, and unconsciously spread her thighs, revealing to the hungry woman lying on top of her, her pink, glistering pussy.

“Oh, Zelda,” Lilith groaned, and licked lightly the apex of her thigh, so close, yet not where Zelda needed her.

“Lily, please,” Zelda begged, and in that moment, Lilith clearly saw that she was willing to give Zelda everything she may need or want. She inhaled deeply, smelling her addictive scent. Lilith didn’t want to hear her begging, so she started licking her cunt, bottom to top, top to bottom, teasing her labia, and then going to suck on her clit. The sounds Zelda was making were driving Lilith crazy, as she slipped her hands under the redhead’s thighs in order to bring her closer. She looked up at Zelda’s face, lost in pleasure, and she murmured: “I’m crazy about you.”

She didn’t mind how needy she sounded. If she told this to her friends, back in New York, they wouldn’t believe it for a second. And yet, with Zelda everything was different, and the declaration slipped her thin lips easily.

“And I, about you,” Zelda nodded, lazily lost in the pillow, arms above her head. She was such a sweet, sexy picture, Lilith dropped the licking job and started eating her out greedily. Zelda was chanting a crescendo of moans and Lilith inserted two fingers in her opening. Zelda let out a strangled cry and she soon came, Lilith’s name on her lips.

The brunette slid up her body, immediately kissing her hand on the mouth, Zelda moaning at the taste of hers mixed with something that was uniquely Lilith and she was starting to appreciate too much for her own good.

“This _was_ such a way to say good morning,” Zelda hummed, and Lilith let out a giggle, pressing a kiss on the redhead’s cheek. She was about to say something back, but Zelda pressed on her shoulders and moved her body, so they were flipped over, the redhead on top.

“You’ve taken great care of me, these days,” she murmured, raising a hand to cup one of Lilith’s full breasts. The brunette moaned softly, and Zelda kneaded it softly, placing kisses on the side of Lilith’s face and down her neck. “Now it’s my turn to take care of you.”

She slid one arm around Lilith’s neck, bringing her close to her body in a warm, sweet hug. With the hand of the arm around her neck, Zelda resumed the ministration on the brunette’s breast, caressing it, brushing her nipple with her fingertips. With the other hand, she caressed down Lilith’s body, reaching her crotch to gently play with Lilith’s sex.

“I want to make you come so hard you won’t be able to forget me.”

Lilith moaned at the words and instantly opened her legs, welcoming Zelda’s touch. Zelda circled her clits a couple of times before sliding down to finger her opening, making love to her with sure, passionate thrusts of her fingers. As she did so, she kissed her temple, her cheek, and her mouth over and over, whispering in her ear how beautiful she was and how hot she looked when she was about to come. It was so passionate and sweet at the same time, Lilith came rather quickly, bucking her hips against Zelda’s hand.

“Oh God,” she breathed, and it was over, falling back against the pillows. Zelda curled on her side and laced her arms up around Lilith’s waist.

“This is the best start of a new year of my life,” Zelda whispered.

They fell asleep once again, Lilith spooning Zelda, hand on her belly, nose buried in hair of fire.

When Lilith woke up again, she silently slipped out of bed and tiptoed to Zelda’s overnight bag. She gathered the novel the redhead was reading and a note pad. She wrote a quick message and put it on Zelda’s book, placing it on her own vacant spot on the bed.

_If you wake up before I come back, start the first day of this new year reading warm and cozy in bed. I’ll be back shortly with your breakfast._

_P.s._

_You look like an angel when you sleep._

_Xx L._

When she came back, carrying a tray with the breakfast, Zelda was curled naked under the blanket, buried in her book, Lilith’s note a bookmark between thick pages. When Lilith entered the room, she looked up and grinned, the image of perfect happiness.

“When is your birthday?”

“December 15th. Yours?”

“November 23rd. Both Sags? Ugh.”

“Favorite color?”

“Black. Yours’s red, I know it.”

“Comfort food?”

“Hot chocolate.”

Question after question after question and the year started that way.

“You know South Italy is amazing. Sardinia especially, empty beaches and a sea which could compete with the Maldives.”

“Oh, how I crave a summer vacation.”

“What do you say?”

A languid kiss.

“That would be a dream.”

“…and they do this amazing book festival, in Turin – that’s in north Italy. The city is amazing and the festival unique. Four days of books and conferences. It’s heaven.”

“I can only imagine you dragging me from one conference to another.”

“You… you’d come with me?”

“It could be fun. Coming with you. And on you. And…”

“ _Lily_!”

“I’m joking. But it could be, you know?”

“I bet that would be amazing.”

Timid, whispered projects. A future.

They were still tucked in bed, Lilith curled in Zelda’s arms, cheek on her breast, as the redhead lightly ran her fingertips up and down her back.

“Can I drive you to the airport, tomorrow?” Zelda whispered at some point, kissing Lilith’s temple, and the brunette was about to reply when she heard something wet against her cheek. She turned on her side to face Zelda and discovered that the redhead was crying.

“Oh, don’t cry, beautiful,” she whispered, cupping her cheeks with her hands.

“What are we going to do?” Zelda asked, scared and with a voice filled with sorrow.

“Nothing, sweetheart. A lot of couples experience long-distance periods. It’s not forever, you know. I’ll try to come back as soon as I can.”

“Are we a couple?” Zelda whispered.

“I would love for us to be. Well, an embryo of a couple, for now.”

Zelda laughed with her eyes filled with tears and caressed Lilith’s curls.

“I’m going to miss you, _girlfriend_ ,” she murmured.

“I will as well, dearest. I’ll miss your skin and your lips and your –-“

Zelda kissed her on the mouth, making her shut up.

“Lily, I’ll listen to your voice tomorrow as well. But there are other things I won’t enjoy for a while, so shut up and make love to me, will you?”

Lilith gladly went to do so.


	8. One year later, Scandicci, Florence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "If we have to try, let’s try all the way. I want to sleep next to you every night and wake up next to you every day."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, this is it.  
> Let me know if you like the end <3  
> I love every one of you and... see you soon, I hope!

**Epilogue – once again in Scandicci**

**_To you who taught me dreams and the art of adventure_ **

**_To you, who believe in courage but also in fear_ **

**_To you, the best thing ever happened to me_ **

**_To you, you who change every day to always stay the same_ **

****

****

**ONE YEAR LATER**

If someone had ever told Zelda Spellman that one year before a gorgeous American brunette, with the prettiest, the biggest blue eyes ever and the most luscious chocolate hair, would have knocked down a pile of books in her bookstore and that she would have fallen in love with her right away, she would probably have laughed.

It turned out the brunette was in Florence for a week – enough time to gather information about Dante (she needed to write a guide, or so she said), to decide that she wanted to move there for good and start a love story with Zelda.

A year had passed – in which the guide had come out, and even if she hadn’t been the one writing it, not alone, at least, Zelda had felt a thrill of excitement as she had exposed the brand-new copies in her bookstore, Lilith Morningstar enthroned on the cover, a dedication inside – _to Zelda, who got me through Hell and Heaven. To Zelda, my Beatrice._

They had traveled back and forth from Florence to New York because what had started with a fling had turned out with them confessing their love for each other straight at the airport, the first time Zelda had visited.

The redhead had literally thrown herself in Lilith’s arms after a sleepless night and an eight-hour flight, and she had started crying at soon as she’d hugged Lilith. Then, when the brunette had moved her face and told her “Hello, Cookie,” and had tried to properly kiss her, Zelda had hiccupped: “Lily, I love you.”

The brunette had gulped, eyes two pools of surprise. Then, she had grinned widely: “I love you too, so much.”

They had fallen in love, they had built something strong and deep, the connection they had smelled at the beginning growing stronger with every talk, every kiss. Zelda had never loved anyone the way she loved Lilith, and Lilith… well, the first time she had visited, and Lilith had brought her to meet her friends, they had told her they had never seen Lilith so taken with anyone. Never before.

Lilith had moved to Florence three months after their meeting. The first plan had been that Lilith would have rented for six months the same apartment she had lived in during her first stay in Florence, but when she had been about to sign the contract, Zelda had abruptly stopped her, asking her to literally throw out of the window every caution and to simply move in her with her.

“I love you,” she had told her, in front of the shocked owner of the apartment. “And you love me.”  
“I do love you, Cookie,” Lilith had nodded. “I mean, I moved from New York literally back to Middle Age, of course, I love you!”

“So, move in with me. If we have to try, let’s try all the way. I want to sleep next to you every night and wake up next to you every day. Not just during the weekend.”

Lilith had almost lost it. Her voice had been broken, when she had said yes.

The first time they had fight had been after a night in the pub they usually frequented on Friday nights. They had hired a new waitress which had bluntly hit on Lilith.

Zelda had screamed all the way from the pub to _their_ apartment while driving her Vespa (something Lilith refused to learn how to do). She had screamed, then they had fucked against their front door, then they had spoken about their feelings in the middle of the night, naked in their bed, confessions in whispers.

That had become the way they normally argued. One of them screamed (sometimes even the both of them), they fucked, they talked.

They were really happy – the happiest they’ve ever been in their life.

And today, they were getting married.

They would have wanted it to be on New Year’s Eve, really. That’s exactly when Lilith had realized she was in love with Zelda, or so she had told her. Then, they had thought about Springs, but in the end, Summer had been the fairest choice. Despite their ambivalence regarding the date, the location had never been questioned: it had to be in Scandicci, in Felicity’s family home. There, starting with that first New Year’s Eve spent together, they had had their happiest moments, including that morning in which Lilith had opened her eyes one morning, to find Zelda kneel next to the bed, half-naked, tears streaming down her face, a ring in her hand, ready to ask Lilith to marry her after barely a year together. Or even, the night in which, curled naked next to the fire, they had talked for the first time about the option of Zelda getting pregnant.

Everybody had told them they were crazy.

Someone directly, someone behind tentative looks. Zelda’s sister had told her that, too, and Jules and Felicity as well. However, after seeing Lilith and Zelda together a couple of times, they had declared that they were _perfect_ for each other. Now, bot Felicity’s teenage daughter Sophia, and Sabrina, called Lilith _Auntie Lily_.

Hilda, on the other side, who was nothing less than a mother hen, had taken Lilith – who had no family or siblings – under her protective wing, and the morning of the wedding, herself, Sabrina, and Diana (Zelda’s sister-in-law) was helping Lilith curl her hair and putting on her strapless, see-through lace dress, as Jules, Felicity, and Sophia were carefully adding fresh flowers to Zelda’s hairdo.

“Stop crying,” Felicity told Zelda for the tenth time as she, again, for the tenth time, tried to apply blush on her wet cheeks.

“I can’t,” Zelda complained. “I don’t know why I’m crying but I can’t stop doing it.”

Felicity climbed on the bed and took her in her arms, her best friend, her best man – in Italy both the groom and the bride had a best man, or best woman, in this case.

“You’re just anxious,” she explained, caressing Zelda’s hair. “But every fear you have it’s going to magically disappear as soon as you see Lilith. I promise.”

It went exactly like this.

As soon as Zelda stepped into the sun, she spotted Lilith wearing the prettiest, the sexiest wedding dress ever. It had been a dream of hers, for them both to wear a proper wedding dress, and Lilith had immediately agreed.

She looked stunning, something out of this world. Her curly chocolate hair was up at the nape of her neck, some stray curls framing her face perfectly. Her big ocean eyes were made even wider by the shimmery silver eyeshadow, and she was wearing a long, plain, low-cut dress. Actually, when Zelda came outside, in the garden, and a few guests whistled, Lilith turned and grinned at her bride. Just seeing that smile, Zelda felt every worry, every doubt, leave her mind, and her heart bursting strongly and happily in her chest.

 _Felicity was right,_ she thought to herself as Lilith walked among the guests to approach her. _She’s always right._

“Hi, Cookie,” Lilith grinned, looking at her up and down as Zelda’s eyes filled with tears once again. “You look spectacular.”

“You too, Lily,” Zelda nodded furiously, and they hugged tightly, faces against necks, hands grabbing clothes. They vaguely heard Hilda and Felicity complain about the possibility that they might ruin their make-up, but they didn’t care, and Zelda buried her face in Lilith’s chest even deeper.

“I’ve never seen you looking so beautiful,” Lilith had said again, holding her close. “And consider that I think you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen every time that I look at you,” she noted.

Zelda laughed through tears: “You are the beautiful one, my love. And I’m dying to kiss you.”

“Who said we can’t?”

“We have to get married,” Zelda smiled, biting her bottom lip.

They walked hand in hand down the carpet, put in between lines of chairs. It was a small, intimate summer wedding, wildflowers everywhere.

Zelda had always heard people talk about specific moments of their lives, in which they clearly saw every significant event of their courses slide behind their eyes. For Zelda, as she walked to her new life, as she walked with Lilith and _to_ Lilith, it was the same.

She saw Lilith’s blue eyes, her olive freckled skin.

She saw her black leather backpack knocking down her books, she saw her leaning against the counter of her bookstore.

****

_“I’m Lilith Morningstar.”_

_“Preposterous. Nice to know.”_

_“And you are…”_

_“For Heaven’s sake, what’s this, kindergarten? I’m Zelda Spellman and I have customers.”_

_“I’m not eating the butt of the cow.”_

_“You are. You’ll like it, I promise. Beer or water?”_

_“Beer, thank you! Do I get a reward, if I eat it?”_

_“And what would you like? My phone number?”_

_“No. You’ll want to give that to me yourself. I want a kiss,”_

She saw her tasting her first _lampredotto_ , laughing as she wiped beer’s foam from the corner of her mouth.

She saw her the night of their first kiss, she saw her naked in her bed, between her thighs in her shower. She saw her smirking at her on the Empire State Building. She saw her calling her Cookie.

She saw her kissing her in the mornings, crying in her arms, screaming at her. She saw her messing with her, waiting for her, comforting her, loving her, fucking her. 

She saw her when the attraction had become love.

She saw her.

And she was ready to take the next step. Together.

**Author's Note:**

> Instagram: madamnovelist


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